Open Access

Identifying compositional and structural changes in the nucleus pulposus from patients with lumbar disc herniation using Raman spectroscopy

  • Authors:
    • Xuehui Wang
    • Jianfang Meng
    • Tongxing Zhang
    • William Weijia Lv
    • Zhao Liang
    • Qian Shi
    • Zhaoyang Li
    • Tao Zhang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 7, 2020     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.8729
  • Pages: 447-453
  • Copyright: © Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Lower back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints worldwide. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is considered to be a significant contributor to LBP; however, the mechanisms underlying IDD remain to be fully elucidated. One of the major features of IDD is the decreased content of type II collagen and proteoglycans in the nucleus pulposus (NP). The present study aimed to investigate the biochemical mechanisms of IDD at the microscopic level using Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy, based on inelastic scattering of light, is an emerging optical technique that may measure the chemical composition of complex biological samples, including biofluids, cells and tissues. In the present study, 30 NP tissue samples from 30 patients who were diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation and received spinal fusion surgery to relieve LBP were obtained and analyzed. Routine pre‑operative 3.0T, T2‑weighed MRI was used to classify the cases according to Pfirrmann grades and the T2 signal intensity value of the NP was measured. Subsequently, all NP samples were scanned and analyzed using a Laser MicroRaman Spectrometer at room temperature. The Raman spectral results demonstrated that the relative content of proteoglycans, expressed as the relative intensity ratio of two peaks (I1064/I1004), was significantly inversely correlated with the Pfirrmann grade (ρ=‑0.6462; P<0.0001), whereas the content of collagen (amide I) was significantly positively correlated with the Pfirrmann grade (ρ=0.5141; P<0.01). In conclusion, the higher relative intensity of the ratio of two peaks (I1670/I1640; Amide I) represented a higher fractional content of disordered collagen, which suggested that the defective collagen structure may lead to NP abnormalities.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

July-2020
Volume 20 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Wang X, Meng J, Zhang T, Lv W, Liang Z, Shi Q, Li Z and Zhang T: Identifying compositional and structural changes in the nucleus pulposus from patients with lumbar disc herniation using Raman spectroscopy. Exp Ther Med 20: 447-453, 2020
APA
Wang, X., Meng, J., Zhang, T., Lv, W., Liang, Z., Shi, Q. ... Zhang, T. (2020). Identifying compositional and structural changes in the nucleus pulposus from patients with lumbar disc herniation using Raman spectroscopy. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 20, 447-453. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.8729
MLA
Wang, X., Meng, J., Zhang, T., Lv, W., Liang, Z., Shi, Q., Li, Z., Zhang, T."Identifying compositional and structural changes in the nucleus pulposus from patients with lumbar disc herniation using Raman spectroscopy". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 20.1 (2020): 447-453.
Chicago
Wang, X., Meng, J., Zhang, T., Lv, W., Liang, Z., Shi, Q., Li, Z., Zhang, T."Identifying compositional and structural changes in the nucleus pulposus from patients with lumbar disc herniation using Raman spectroscopy". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 20, no. 1 (2020): 447-453. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.8729